Drinkpee

We've all heard of people drinking their own urine to survive out in the wild when there is no access to water. Though urine is sterile and (usually) safe to drink, using it as plant fertilizer may be more palatable option to most.

The smart folks at EAWAG Aquatic Research in Switzerland have developed a way to extract the phosphorus and nitrogen from urine to be used as fertilizer. Cultivating the nutrients leaves urine harmless to wildlife, otherwise untreated urine reaches the oceans, feeding algae causing algae blooms (also known as Red Tides) which soak up all the oxygen and suffocate fish.

An artful take on how to combat this type of pollution, a DIY kit for turning your pee into fertilizer was developed by artists Britta Riley and Rebecca Bray. It will be available during their drinkpeedrinkpeedrinkpee installation opening tomorrow at Eyebeam in New York as part of "Feedback." Drinkpee is an exhibit that explores the role of our bodies and byproducts in larger ecosystems. For more info on how to turn your pee into fertilizer and the upcoming exhibition visit drinkpee and Eyebeam.